Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries Hosselkus Chapel | Funeral & Cremation Services for Crockett, CA

Who We Are

Our professional staff has years of experience caring for families from all walks of life. We are leaders in our profession, with dedication to service and professional integrity.

When we sit down with a family, our shared goal is to create a fitting, memorable and affordable service for their loved one. We offer them a wide variety of services and products, as well as a wealth of creative ideas and suggestions. Together, we'll design a memorial or funeral service that suits their needs now, and in the future. Families who come to us know that years from now, they will have deep peace-of-mind because in coming to us, they've done their best to honor their loved one.

Our History

“Growing with our community” has been the history of Wilson & Kratzer since its inception.

The business was originally known as Smallwood Parlors when Aubrey Wilson purchased the business and occupied a 25-foot store room on Macdonald Avenue near 8th Street. In 1921 Aubrey Wilson acquired the property at 7th and Bissell and with the investment funds from his partner C.C. Kratzer, well-known automobile dealer in Richmond, the name became Wilson & Kratzer Funeral Home. In 1926 Aubrey Wilson was elected coroner of Contra Costa County.

In an article written by Aubrey Wilson in 1926 he said “The funeral home idea on which our own place of business is built, is the newest idea in the methods of funeral conduct. It is based on the belief that the old fashioned gloomy exterior and interior of a funeral parlor was not in keeping with the best ethics of funeral direction… the modern work of a director is to comfort as well as bury. … if he is to be a success in this difficult task, the whole of his establishment must minister to the desired end. With these ends in view the Wilson & Kratzer funeral homes embodies in its exterior and interior an atmosphere of home rather than of office or shop. When you enter our facilities you are immediately struck by the quiet dignity of our establishments.”

In 1930 Aubrey Wilson acquired sole ownership. In 1943, he relinquished the reins of management and placed them in the experienced and efficient hands of his son Francis L. Wilson along with the co-partnership with his sister Mrs. Audra Brown. Francis Wilson was also the Deputy Coroner of Contra Costa County from 1942 to 1965.

The next mortuary that was built was at 616 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito. Francis L. Wilson, son of the owner, assumed charge of the El Cerrito mortuary.

April 28, 1950 the Mission Bells Chapel was opened on San Pablo Avenue in San Pablo as a combination wedding and funeral service facility with over 10,000 sq. ft. The exterior of the chapel is California redwood. The interior of the new chapel is made of rough-sawed beams that combines early California designs of the missions with 1950s architectural styles. The Mission Bells Chapel was designed by local architect Donald L. Hardison and the contractor was George Tandy and Son who also built Richmond Union High School and more.

In 1957 the new Civic Center Chapel was completed. Both the Mission Bells Chapel and the Civic Center Chapel were designed to be both funeral and wedding chapels. It was designed by the Richmond Architect Donald L. Hardison and his associates Harry B. Clausen and S. Richard Komatsu and built by Crocker Tandy, General Contractors (James S. Crocker, Dair A. Tandy and Wm. J. Wheatley), decorated by Rouse & Boivie. The original structure had more than 23,000 sq. ft. and 20 rooms. Civic Center Chapel has two chapels, the larger, the north chapel, has a solarium of plants and lighted with especially made stained glass windows. Each chapel has an L-shaped floor plan, the shorter arm of the “L” providing private seating for family members. The visiting rooms were (and are still) named, the Mahogany Room, the Walnut Room, and the Laurel Room, each with its own characteristics.

In 1961, Rolling Hills Memorial Park, a public, non-sectarian cemetery, crematory and mausoleum was established by the Wilson's.

Our Valued Staff

Alex Gaylor II, Funeral Director/Embalmer

Alex is a native of Missouri and has a career in the funeral industry which spans more than 30 years. After moving to Richmond, California in 1976, and upon graduation from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Sciences in 1977, he began his career as an embalmer and has held various positions throughout the Bay Area. He is a California licensed funeral director and a member of the California Funeral Directors Association.

Alex is active in the community. He is a member of: Elks Lodge #559, Epsilon Nu Delta Mortuary Fraternity and Ujema Masonic Lodge #35, San Pablo Chamber of Commerce, Richmond Chamber of Commerce.
Joseph K. Newkirk, Funeral Director/Embalmer

Operations Manager for West County.

Joe was born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida. After serving his country in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War, he was honorably discharged in 1972 and moved to California. He started working with Wells Fargo Bank while attending Laney College to obtain his AA in Management & Supervision, graduating in 1979. He continued his career with Wells Fargo Bank for 23 years in Management. In 1993, he decided to switch his career path and began attending the San Francisco School of Mortuary Science and graduated in 1994 with his AA degree. He has been with Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries since 1993 and now holds the position of Operations Manager/ Funeral Director / Embalmer, overseeing the daily activities for the three locations: Civic Center Chapel, Chapel of the Mission Bells & Hosselkus Chapel.

Joe has been married for 24 years. He and his wife, Anita, raised their four children in the Richmond / El Sobrante area and plan on retiring someday back in Florida. For the meantime, Joe takes great pride in serving the community he has become well known “as the man to see”, at Wilson & Kratzer Mortuary.
Judy Lee, Accounting Administrator

Judy is the Accounting Administrator for all of the West County Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries. In addition to her accounting work, she also creates our promotional advertisements, trains staff, handles the web-site, and does a wide variety of work as needed including working in the prep-room and on funerals.

In addition to her dedication to her family, she is also dedicated to community service. She is the elected Treasure for the City of Pinole, Director of Judson Homes, Senior and Disabled Housing Project, a member of the San Pablo Chamber of Commerce and the Pinole Historical Society. She has been an active member of MacArthur Baptist Church in San Pablo since 1960 and has served on the boards of many organizations including: Pinole Crime Prevention, Soroptomist International, Discovery Center, Pinole Friendship Commission, and many more.
Mariano Munoz, Funeral Director/Embalmer

Richard Munoz grew up in Santa Barbara, California. Having been in the funeral industry since 1989, Richard has a Director and Embalmer's license in both Arizona and California. He is one of our newer acquisitions with the Carriage Team in Northern California. Richard is a member of the San Pablo Chamber of Commerce and is also involved in several Catholic ministries at his local
parish. Mr. Munoz has a great passion for life and in serving his families.
Mrs. Barbara Rosales, Funeral Director

Barbara joined Wilson & Kratzer Mortuaries March 1, 1999 after working for twenty-two years in the financial field. She became a licensed funeral director in July 1999. In 2001, Barbara saw the need and became a Notary Public.

In 2008, she received her pre-need insurance license and looks forward to helping families understand the need to have their funeral arrangements in order. She is the former secretary for the San Pablo Chamber of Commerce, and an advocate for the improvement of relations between
the public and the death care industry.
James McDaniel, Managing Partner

Jay was born in Anchorage, Alaska. He served his country in the United States Navy from 1983 to 1987 before choosing his career in the funeral industry. Jay has been a funeral director and embalmer for over 23 years and enjoys serving his community in these capacities. Immediately following his graduation from the Dallas Institute of Funeral Service, he and his wife Jacquie moved their family to northern California in order for him to pursue his career. In 2005, Jay and his family moved to the East Coast where he worked as an Area Director of Operations in Baltimore, Maryland; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Martinsburg, West Virginia until his recent return to California and the Richmond area. Although his time in Richmond has been short, he truly feels at home in this community. Jay currectly serves as the Managing Partner for Wilson and Kratzer Mortuaries, where he oversees the daily operations for the three locations: Civic Center Chapel, Richmond, Chapel of the Mission Bells, San Pablo and Hosselkus Chapel, Crockett as well as Connolly & Taylor in Martinez.
Jay has been married for 26 years. He and his wife, Jacquie have two adult children, Jakob and Jascha. Jakob is currently serving in the United States Army as an Arabic Linguist, stationed in Texas. Jascha has recently followed her father to Northern California where she is working as an Ambassador at Connolly & Taylor, Martinez, Higgins, Antioch and Quimet in Concord. Jay is extremely pleased with his new position as the Managing Partner of Wilson and Kratzer Mortuaries and looks forward to helping it continue to be the primary funeral home provider in the West Contra Costa area.